THE Ipoh Sessions Court today ordered Perak PAS commissioner Razman Zakaria to pay RM200,000 in defamation damages to former Perak Menteri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.

Nizar who is also Changkat Jering assemblyman sued Razman for RM3 million in August 2015.

Judge D. Sunita Kaur Jessy found Razman liable for the slanderous statement he made against Nizar that was published in a Malay newspaper.

Nizar who is Parti Amanah Negara deputy chairman based his suit on two paragraphs in the article which insinuated he supported the concept of a secular nation propagated by DAP and therefore should join the party.

The plaintiff was represented by counsel Asmuni Awi while the defendant, by Mohd Zamri Ibrahim and Ahmad Azhar Sharin.

Asmuni told reporters the plaintiff felt relieved and vindicated by the court’s decision. 

“The court has found the defendant is liable and of course we also requested for the defendant to pay the sum within 14 days from today.

“We always said defamation does not come cheap. Despite the decision, the defendant continued to defame Nizar through his writings. 

“We will get further instructions from our client if he wants to pursue the matter,” he said.

Zamri said he would seek instructions from his client on whether to apply for a stay and appeal to the High Court against the decision. – Bernama, November 10, 2017.